Blowtorch



L. L. LASHER El' AL BLOWTORCH Filed June 5, 1930 Juy 10, 1934.

illllllllllllllllllllls Patented July l0, w34

Unirse STATES PATENT QFFICE 1,965,252 nnow'ron'on' line Mass' Application June 3, 1930, Serial No. 459,096

12 Claims. (Cl. 15S-35) This invention relates to automatic blow torches and consists in the novel construction, combination and relationship of parts described and illustrated in the accompanying specicag, tion and drawing and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

One serious defect with automatic blow torches as heretofore constructed has been the inability of the torch to operateat maximum efficiency in any and all positions in which the conditions of the particular job may require the torch to be held, as for example, in inverted position. In `such position, and in certain other positions, the alcohol or other liquid fuel rushes into the space normally occupied by the volatilized gases when the torch is operated in its normal or upright position, and being heavier than such gases, displaces the same, causing a diminution vand in some instances an actual extinction of the re- 2@ ducing flame being generated.

Accordingly, one salient object of our present invention is to overcome this characteristic defect of prior torches.

Other objects are generally to improve the construction and increase the convenience and eciency of the automatic blow torch to the end that a more serviceable and reliable article of this class may be had.

These objects, together with certain other features oi advantage which will appear more particularly hereinafter, are all secured in the automatic blow torch forming the subject matter of the present invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawing wherein we have illustrated the principles of our invention as applied to the several dierent types of automatic blow torch which have now become practically in the trade;-

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through one characteristic form of blow torch equipped in accordance with our invention, and showing the carrying or non-operative position of the parts.

'Figs'. 2 and 3 illustrate our invention as applied to other well-known types of torch now on the market.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the barrier member of our torch, removed.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section through the burner tube, and

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the closure member of Figui removed.

Referring rst .to Fig. 1, the torch therein shown'coliststs of a casing or body member l closed at its tp'and bottom, as indicated at 2 and 3 to denhaag fuel reservoir. The usual pressure generating tube or ,gooseneck" 4 extends upwardly from the top wall 2 of the casing 1 and said top wall is dished, as shown, to form a priming chamber within which a quantity of alcohol or other liquid fuel may be poured and ignited for the purpose of priming the torch in starting the same.

Closing the outer end of the gooseneck 4 is an apertured plug 5 having the usual jet orifice 6 axially thereof, and lodged within such goose- V neck and extending downwardly therethrough into the fuel reservoir constituted by the hollow casing 1 is the usual service wick 7. D'

According to our present invention such Wick is carried through a fuel barrier 8 which is fric- 70 tionally lodged within theV fuel reservoir at any predetermined distance from the top thereof. Such barrier may be of any desired material and as here shown is a simple plug retained in the fuel reservoir by its frictional engagement with the walls thereof. Although preferably permeable, it may be impermeable, and although preferably pierced to permit the wick to be passed therethrough, it may be otherwise formed to permit the feeder end of the wick to depend therebeneath into the fuel.

So constructed and assembled in the fuel reservoir, such plug or barrier in effect sub-divides said reservoir into a lower chamber 9 containing the alcohol or other fuel and an upper chamber 35 10 from which the fuel is barred by the physical presence of the plug itself and which upper part constitutes an expansion chamber for the volatilized gases backing up therein from the gooseneck.

As a result of this construction Vand assem-- blage the lighted torch when tipped into an unusual operating position, as an inverted position for example, will continue to operate at maximum emciency, due to the fact that the fuel is prevented from running down into the gas chamber 10 and "choking the torch by physical displacement of the lighter gases therein Although applicable to any of the several forms of torch now on the market, for the purposes of this application, we have shown our invention as applied to a torch of the type wherein a perforated burner tube 11 is removably tted I the internal closure stem 13 the purpose of which 110 is to close the jet orifice when the torch is not being used (see Fig. 5) and thus prevent leakage of the fuel therethrough when the torch is laid on its side or carried upside down in the pocket or bag.

The inner end of the stem 13 may be externally threaded as at 14 or otherwise formed for removable engagement with the internal series of threads on the burner tube, and its jetclosing face may be axially recessed or otherwise formed as at 15 whereby most effectively to close the jet orifice 6. The outer end of the stem may be knurled, milled or otherwise formed as at 16 to provide a convenient finger grasping portion.

When removed from the burner tube, the closure stem may be assembled upon the body of the torch in any desired manner, as by providing such body with a spring holding clip, or by assembling on the threaded handle stem 17 of the torch after first removing the hollow handle 18 therefrom. (See Fig. 2).

This hollow handle constitutes a convenient reservoir for the priming fuel with which the priming pan is adapted to be lled in starting the torch or as a reserve supply for the fuel v chamber 8.

For convenience of packing and assembly, the handle stem 17 is threaded at one end into a plug 19 which is itself threaded into the wall of the casing l, and at its opposite end is fast to the removable closure plug 20 of the hollow handle 18. Such closure 20 has threaded connection with the hollow handle 18 and is taped and threaded to receive the threaded end 14 of the closure stem 13.

The usual lling plug for the main fuel reservoir 9 is indicated at 21 in Fig. 1 and like the plug 19 is screw-threaded into the casing 1.

In Fig. 2 we have shown a double barrel torch inwhich the lamp or lighting cylinder is indicated at 22 and the pressure cylinder at 23; The gooseneck 24 extends from the pressure cylinder 23, and said cylinder itself is provided interiorly with a fuel plug or lbarrier 25 corresponding in function to the plug 8 of Fig. 1.

In Fig. 3 we have shown a different form of single barrel torch with burner tube attachment. In this form, the single barrel 26 which carries the gooseneck 27 is provided with a fuel plug or barrier 28 corresponding in function to the plugs 8 of Fig. l or 25 of Fig. 2.

If desired, the burner tubes of any or all of the torches shown may be equipped with a combustion regulator. This may be a simple sleeve 29 perforated as shown and adjustable rotatively on the burner tube to bring the perforations 29 thereof into and out of registry with the perforations il' of the burner tube. The adjustment of the sleeve 29 may be held in any desired manner, as by means of the spring clip 30 in Fig. 2 or by the set screw 3i in Fig. 5.

Various modifications in the construction and operation of this device may obviously be resorted to if Within the spirit and scope of my invention without departing from the limits of the appended claims. l

What we therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an automatic blow torch, a casing having a. fuel chamber and a priming pan, a pressure generating tube communicating with said fuel Achamber and having a jet orifice, a barrier in said chamber subdividing the same and effective to prevent displacement of the volatilized gases in the space immediately adjacent to said tube by the fuel in the fuel chamber when the lighted torch is inverted, a wick in said tube and extending past said barrier into said fuel chamber, a Bunsen burner tube coacting with said pressure generating tube, and a handle stem mounted on said fuel chamber.

2. In an automatic blow torch, in combination, a fuel chamber, a pressure generating tube cornmunicating therewith, a barrier in said fuel chamber subdividing the same and effective to vprevent displacement of the volitalized gases in the space immediately adjacent the inner end of said pressure generating tube by the fuel in the fuel chamber when the lighted torch is inverted, a wick in said pressure generating tube and extending through said barrier into said fuel chamber, and a Bunsen burner tube mounted on the outer end of said pressure generating tube.

3. An automatic torch as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pressure generating tube has a jet orifice and a removable closure for said jet orifice adapted to be interiorly tted within -said burner tube.

4. An automatic torch as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pressure generating tube has a jet orifice and a removable closure for said jet orice adapted to be interiorly fitted within said burner tube, and an adiustable combustion regulator is exteriorly mounted upon said burner tube.

5. In an automatic blow torch, a pressure generating unit comprising a casing adapted to contain liquid fuel, a wick tube extending from said casing and having a jet delivery opening, and a permeable barrier in said casing permeable to the gases volatilized when the torch is operating but retardant to the free leakage of the liquid duid therepast.

6. In an automatic blow torch, a pressure generating unit comprising a casing adapted to contain liquid fuel, a wick tube extending from said casing and having a jet delivery opening, a starting unit associated with said casing, a permeable barrier in said casing permeable to the gases volatilized when the torch is opearting but retardant to the free leakage of the liquid fluid therepast, and a manipulating handle for the torch mounted on said casing.

7. In an automatic blow torch, a pressure generating unit comprising a casing adapted to contain liquid fuel, a wick tube extending from said casing and having a jetdelivery opening, a starting unit associated with said casing, a permeable barrier in said casing permeable to the gases volatilized when the torch is operating but retardant to the free leakage of the liquid fluid therepast, a combustion burner operatively connected with said pressure generating unit, and a manipulating handle for the torch mounted on said casing.

8. In an automatic blow torch, a pressure generating unit comprising a casing adapted to contain liquid fuel, a wick tube extending from said casing and having a jet delivery opening, a permeable barrier in said casing affording a. gas space communicating with the inner end of the wick tube and a fuel space beneath the gas space, said barrier permeable to the gases volatilized when the torch is operating whereby to permit such gases to rlll said gas space but retardant to the free leakage of the liquid fuel from the liquid space into the gas space whereby to prevent the liquid fuel from extinguishing the torch by displacement of the gases from said gas space, and a combustion burner operatively connected with said pressure generating unit. i

9. In an automatic blow torch, a pressure generating unit comprising a casing adapted to contain liquid fuel, a wick tube extending from said casing and having a jet delivery opening, a permeable barrier in said casing affording a gas space communicating with the inner end of the wick tube and a fuel space beneath the gas space, said barrier permeable to the gases volatilized when the torch is operating whereby to permit such gases to ll said gas space but retardant to the free leakage of the liquid fuel from the liquid space into the gas space whereby to prevent the liquid fuel from extinguishing the torch by displacement of the gases from said space, a combustion burner operatively connected with said pressure generating unit, and a combustion regulator adjustably mounted on said combustion burner.

10. In an automatic blow torch, a pressure generating unit comprising a casing adapted to contain liquid fuel, a wick tube extending from said casing and having a jet delivering opening, a starting unit associated with said casing, a permeable barrier in said casing affording a gas space communicating with the inner end of the wick tube and a fuel space beneath the gas space, said barrier permeable to the gases volatilized when the torch is operating whereby to permit such gases to ll said gas space but retardant to the free leakage of the liquid fuel from the liquid space into the gas space whereby to prevent the liquid fuel from extinguishing the torch by displacement of the gases from said gas space, a

combustion burner operatively connected with said pressure generating unit, a combustion regulator adjustably mounted on said combustion burner, and a manipulating handle for the torch mounted on said casing.

,11. In an' automatic blow torch, a pressure generating unit comprising a casing adapted to contain liquid fuel, a wick tube extending from said casing and having a jet delivery opening, a wick in said tube one end of which is disposed in proximity to said jet delivery opening and the other end of which is disposed within the fuel in said casing, a permeable barrier intermediate the ends of the wick and permeable to the gases volatilized when the torch is operating but retardant to the free leakage of the liquid fuel therethrough, a combustion burner operatively connected with said pressure generating unit, and a combustion regulator adjustably mounted on said combustion burner.

12. In an automatic blow torch, a pressure generating unit comprising a casing adapted to contain liquid fuel, a wick tube extending from said casing and having a jet delivery opening, a wick in said tube one end of which is disposed in proximity to said jet delivery opening and the other end of which is disposed within the fuel in said casing, and a permeable barrier intermediate the ends of the wick and permeable to the gases volatilized when the torch is operating but retardant to the free leakage of the liquid fuel therethrough.

LESTER L. LASHER. ARTHUR GODDU. 

